Duct tape is colorful and versatile. It can be used to fix things, but also to make crafts. You can make belts, wallets, and even prom dresses using just duct tape. One of the easier duct tape crafts is the hair bow. This article will show you how to make two adorable hair bows using duct tape and a bobby pin.

Steps

Method1

Making a Fancy Bow

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

1

Cut four 12 inch (30.48 centimeters) pieces of duct tape and place them on a cutting mat. Try getting a cutting mat with a grid and ruler printed on it; you can these as a guideline. Keep the tape sticky-side-down on the cutting mat.[1]

Use an craft knife with a sharp blade and a steel ruler to make straight cuts.

Cut four ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by 5.08 centimeters) pieces of duct tape. You will use these later.

Cut two 1 by 3 inch (2.54 by 7.62 centimeters) pieces of duct tape. You will use these later.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

2

Stick two strips together, so that you have a set of 12 inch (30.48 centimeter) pieces of tape with no sticky sides showing. Take a strip and grip it tightly by both ends. Align the long, bottom edge with the long, bottom edge of another strip. Press the top strip down firmly onto the bottom strip.

One strip will make the bow loops. The other one will make the tails.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

3

Take one strip and cut it in half to make the tails. Fold the strip in half, widthwise first, then cut along the fold with a pair of scissors. You should end up with two 2 by 6 inch (5.08 by 15.24 centimeters) pieces of duct tape.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

4

Fold both strips in half lengthwise, so you end up with a bundle of two 1 by 6 inch (2.54 by 15.24 centimeters) strips. Line the strips up together, with the folded edges on the same side. You will be cutting both at the same time in the next step.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

5

Cut a notch into one of the narrow ends of your bundle. Turn the bundle so the open edges are facing you, and the folded edges are face away from your. Cut a half-triangle shaped notch towards the fold. This way, when you open the strips, you'll have a triangle-shaped notch at the bottom of each one.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

6

Fold the un-cut, narrow end of each tail, accordion style. Take a tail, and fold it in half, lengthwise. Bring the long sides down towards the fold and pinch them at the top; make sure that you are pinching the flat, un-cut end. It is okay if the rest of the tail is flat and not folded.

One side of the tail will have a single folded edge. The other side of the tail will have two folded edges. Pay attention to this.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

7

Tape the folds together. Flip tail over, so you have the single fold facing you, and the two double folds on the bottom. Cut a ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by 5.08 centimeters) piece of duct tape, and fold it over the top part of the tail. This will hold your folds together.

Repeat this step and the previous one for the other tail.

Consider using clothespins or paperclips to hold the accordion folds together while you work on the other steps.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

8

Fold the other strip into a ring, and secure it with a piece of tape. Take the other strip and fold it in half to create a crease. Do not cut it. Instead, unfold it, and bring each narrow end towards the crease. Take a ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by 5.08 centimeters) piece of duct tape, and tape the two narrow ends together so that you end up with a 2 by 6 inch (5.08 by 15.24 centimeters) duct tape ring.

This will create the loops of your bow.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

9

Fold the center of the ring accordion style. With the ring still flattened into a 2 by 6 inch (5.08 by 15.24 centimeters) rectangle, pinch it by the middle, so that it sort of looks like a bowtie. Fold the two top edges down towards the back/center fold. You will still have a bowtie shape, but the center will be folded accordion style.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

10

Secure the folds with a ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by 5.08 centimeters) piece of duct tape. You may have noticed that your bowtie has two folds and a groove on one side, and one fold and two grooves on the other. Flip the bowtie over so that the side with the two folds and one groove is facing you. Fold the small, ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by 5.08 centimeters) piece of tape over the two folded bits in the center. Do not press the sticky ends of the small piece of tape down just yet.

11

Flip the bow over. You will now have a bowtie shape, with a single fold in the center, flanked by two cut edges. You should also have the sticky ends of the little tape facing you.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

12

Attach the tails. Take one of the tails by the accordion folded/taped part, with the single fold/taped part facing you. Slip the tail into the bottom of the bowtie, keeping it to one side of the sticky tape center. Secure the tail to the bowtie by taping it to the center fold of the bowtie with a small piece of tape.

Repeat this step with the other tail.

If you used clothespins or paperclips to hold the accordion folds together, make sure to take them off before taping the tails to the bowtie.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

13

Fold the sticky ends of the center piece down to hold the bow together. Start with the bottom piece, closest to the tails. Once you have that side folded down, press down the top piece.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

14

Secure the center of the bow with two 1 by 3 inch (2.54 by 7.62 centimeters) pieces of tape. Cut two 1 by 3 inch (2.54 by 7.62 centimeters) pieces of duct tape. Wrap one of the pieces around the center of the bow. When you are done, wrap the second piece around the center of the bow. Make sure that the seams are in the back of the bow.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

15

Slide a bobby pin into the back of the bow. Pry open a bobby pin, and slide one of the prongs under the central piece of tape.[2]

16

Wear your bow. The bobby pin may not be strong enough to hold a ponytail together, so you will need to secure your hair with a hair tie first. Once you have the style you want, slip the bobby pin into your hair, just above the hair tie.

Put your hair up into a high ponytail. Once it is secure, attach the hair bow.

Method2

Making a Simple Bow

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

1

Cut two pieces of duct tape and set them down on a cutting mat, sticky-side-up. Each piece needs to be 6 inched (15.24 centimeters) long.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

2

Stick the two pieces together. Flip over one of the pieces of tape, and press it down onto the other piece. Make sure that all edges are aligned. You should end up with a 6 inch (15.24 centimeter) long piece of duct tape that is smooth on both sides.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

3

Fold the piece of tape in half, lengthwise. Bring the two long edges together, and press the piece of tape flat. If you want, you can run your fingernail down the fold to make a sharper crease.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

4

Fold the piece lengthwise again, accordion style. Take the two long edges, and bring them back down towards the center fold.

Use a clothespin or paperclip to help the accordion hold its shape while you do the next step.

5

Cut a ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by 5.08 centimeters) piece of tape. You will be using it to wrap around the center of your bow.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

6

Wrap the small piece of tape around the center of your accordion. If you placed a clothespin or paperclip around your accordion, take it off before wrapping the tape around the center.

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to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow

7

Slid a bobby pin under the central piece of tape. You may have noticed that your bow has two folds and a groove on one side, and one fold and two grooves on the other. Flip the bow over that that the side with the two folds and one groove is facing you. Pry open a bobby pin and slide the prong under the central piece of tape. The groove will help conceal the bobby pin.